New/Old Testament in a Year: August 2013

Friday 30 August 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge week 27

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 27: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year, reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now starting Week 27 of the Bible challenge…completing our study of Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome, and starting his first letter to the church in Corinth.
Now is a good time to catch up if you've fallen behind...simply read 2 chapters a day for a while and you'll soon be 'on schedule'…or combine with a start at the beginning to read the whole New Test ament in just 6 months!

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Top Tip!To get the most out of this challenge, start each daily reading with a short, simple, sincere prayer asking God to guide your thinking as you read. Then open the Bible and read slowly, with the aim of learning something new. After the reading, consider how it may affect your life and relationship with Jesus, and allow your increased knowledge of the Scriptures to shape your character and strengthen your trust in God.Take your time - enjoy this opportunity - and may God bless you as you embark upon this New Testament Bible Challenge.
Captain Phil Layton

Monday, September 02, 2013 --- Romans 14 --- Paul’s urges consideration for those who are new to the faith.- v1-4, What can we assume the believers in Corinth had been struggling with, which brought the need for this teaching?

- What do these verses teach us? Can it have any bearing on our attitude toward vegetarianism? obesity? alcohol?...what about drugs?

- is there a danger of over-simplifying this teaching?

- v5, To what may this be referring?....what sort of days do we keep 'special'? does it matter on what day we keep a Sabbath? (For the 10 commandments read Exodus 20)

- take the chapter of Romans 14 as a whole and consider what Paul was trying to say....do you find it somewhat liberating?

Tuesday, September 03, 2013 --- Romans 15--- The need for Christians to accept one another, and Paul’s desire to visit.- v5-7, is such acceptance and unity to be without any definition/requirements?....can unity be expressed through diversity?

- what is the difference between unity and uniformity?

- what is the danger of unity where there is no doctrinal standard?

Wednesday, September 04, 2013 --- Romans 16 --- Paul sends final greetings, and warns against false teaching.- v17, What advice does Paul give to this church regarding false teachers?

- Is this advice something that will help or hinder the unity/acceptance that Paul taught in the previous chapter?

- Is unity/acceptance something that is to be upheld at all costs - including that of doctrine and truth? Or does upholding unity sometimes entail creating a distance between truth and false teaching?

Thursday, September 05, 2013 --- 1 Corinthians 1 --- Paul writes greetings and a prelude to the church in Corinth.- v2, surely there can be no clearer indication that we are to benefit from this letter too!

- v10-12, division in the church seems to be a frequent problem and always something worth tackling...does Paul teach the readers to simply 'live and let live' or does he try to bring unity through sound teaching?

- v17, if it is necessary to be water baptised to be saved, why didn't Paul consider it a part of his ministry as he preached the Gospel?

- v18, do you know anyone who doesn't accept the Gospel according to the Bible because they consider it to be 'foolishness'....(or primitive/simplistic)?

Friday, September 06, 2013 --- 1 Corinthians 2 --- God’s perfect wisdom is beyond the wisdom of this world.- In what way is the Gospel of Jesus Christ easier for the intellectually humble to accept, than it is for the intellectually proud?

- In what way is God's wisdom superior to any human wisdom?

Friday 23 August 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge week 26

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 26: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year, reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now starting Week 26 of the Bible challenge…and so we are halfway through!
Now is a good time to catch up if you've fallen behind...simply read 2 chapters a day for a while and you'll soon be 'on schedule'…or combine with a start at the beginning to read the whole New Test ament in just 6 months!

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Monday, August 26, 2013 --- Romans 9 --- Paul explains God’s sovereignty in bringing the Gospel to Gentiles.- v5, the New International Version of the Bible has footnotes suggesting other ways of phrasing this verse...what is the difference between them, and why do you think the translators preferred to write it in this way?

- v30-33, ...but it's not just the Israelites who find faith in Jesus to be a stumbling block is it?...do we know any people, groups or even churches who put too much reliance on 'good works' to be saved, thereby failing to put their whole trust in what Jesus did for us?

Tuesday, August 27, 2013 --- Romans 10 --- ‘Everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved’ – v13- v9-10, is baptism one way of making the necessary confession Paul writes about here?...or is it the only way?....if it is the only way, then why do you think Paul doesn’t mention the need to be baptised in these important verses?
- v14-15, is there anyone you know who really needs to hear the Gospel?....Is there any reason why you couldn't be used by God to tell someone the Good News?

Wednesday, August 28, 2013 --- Romans 11 --- God has not finished with the Jewish race!-v11-27, do we believe God has replaced His relationship with Israel with that of the Church?...or that one day the Jews will be 'grafted back' into a relationship with God (through belief in Jesus Christ)?

- Is Christianity rooted in Judaism?

- What is the primary doctrinal difference between a Jew and a Christian?

Thursday, August 29, 2013 --- Romans 12 --- Love what is good – hate what is evil.- v2, what is 'the pattern of this world'?

- v11, how do you interpret this verse?....do you ever find yourself lacking in zeal?

- v9-21, would these verses be ideal for a holiness sermon?

Friday, August 30, 2013 --- Romans 13 --- The need for love and holiness, knowing that the end may be near.- v1-7, should we submit to the authorities even when we disagree with them?

- v8, do you think this is financial advice as well as practical and spiritual?

Saturday 17 August 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge week 25

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 25: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year, reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now starting Week 25 of the Bible challenge…and will complete the first half of Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome.

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Monday, August 19, 2013 --- Romans 4 --- Paul talks about how justification comes only through faith
- Paul seems to be extremely keen to explain how Abraham was justified by faith...why is this argument so important to Paul, and what is its relevance to us today?

Tuesday, August 20, 2013 --- Romans 5 --- Through Adam we are sinners, but through Jesus we are forgiven
- v3-4, does this concur with your experience?

- v12-14, Paul seems quite happy to talk about Adam as though he were a real, literal and historical person in the same way that Moses is. How might this be viewed by those who doubt the reality/truth/historical accuracy of the Bible's creation account?

Wednesday, August 21, 2013 --- Romans 6 --- Slaves to righteousness instead of slaves to sin
- does this chapter help explain the link between salvation and holiness?....can one be saved without thereafter pursuing holiness?

Thursday, August 22, 2013 --- Romans 7 --- Paul admits that he still struggles with sin
- v15-20, I wonder if the reader of Paul's letter had to repeat this section slowly when it was first received ;) ...but I also wonder if you can sympathise with his predicament.

Friday, August 23, 2013 --- Romans 8 --- There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
- v23, do you understand and share Paul's sense of the 'inward groaning'?
- v26-27, do you have times when you wish to pray but words fail you?....how reassuring are these verses?
- v29-30, how do we interpret these words of 'predestination? Is Paul talking about believers in the past who have already died? Is this an argument for predestination for each individual today? Or Christians in general?...Or is he talking about the Jewish race (as opposed to individuals)?

Friday 9 August 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge week 24

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 24: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year, reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now starting Week 24 of the Bible challenge…as we finish the book of Acts and start Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome.

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Monday, August 12, 2013 --- Acts 27 --- Paul sails for Rome, hits a storm and is shipwrecked!- v2, do the frequent references to 'we' by the author help validate the account?

- is this chapter only useful for historic purposes only? for telling the story of Paul's journeys? or is there something that we can learn and apply to our own lives too?

Tuesday, August 13, 2013 --- Acts 28 --- Paul survives a snake bite on Malta, and finally arrives in Rome.- v4-6, at first it's quite amusing to note how quickly the people change their minds about someone...but then they did the same to Jesus but in reverse...and perhaps many celebrities undergo the same changes of opinion even today! Are you and I as quick to judge people?

- v15, the mere sight of fellow Christians were an encouragement to Paul. Are you an encourager? What response do you think people have when they see you?

- v24, even Paul couldn't persuade everyone...some believed the Gospel and others didn't....so what do you think - was he successful in his ministry to them?

- How do we judge our own success at sharing the Gospel?

Wednesday, August 14, 2013 --- Romans 1 --- Paul begins his letter to the Christians in Rome

- v13, it is evident from this verse that the Christians in Rome are predominantly Gentile....possibly because the Jews had been expelled by the Roman Emperor.

- v16, 'first for the Jew, then for the Gentile'.....right at the start of this letter Paul makes a clear statement to the Gentile Christians about their place in the salvation story. Some think that this may be part of Paul's reason for writing to them, to remind them that they are not greater than the Messianic Jews, and that God does not show such favouritism.

- v20, is it really possible to be a true atheist? (as opposed to agnostic) Is it ever possible to be certain that there is no God?

- v26-27, what are the 'unnatural' and ‘shameful’ acts which Paul is writing about? …is it possible that such acts are no longer wrong in God’s eyes?...why would He have changed His mind about this?...did Paul write into a certain context which is no longer applicable to our society?...or are these verses which we seldom consider because of their consequences if we take them seriously?

Thursday, August 15, 2013 --- Romans 2 --- Paul writes to the Gentile Christians about God's judgement and the Law.

- v9-11, a return to the subject of favouritism, and that as both Jew and Gentile are saved through Christ, so they will be judged by the same measure.

- v28-29, how can Paul's teaching here be applied to our understanding?

Friday, August 16, 2013 --- Romans 3 --- Paul's writes about God's faithfulness and our righteousness through faith.

- v20, 'through the law we become conscious of sin'....can we appreciate this teaching? Does an honest measure against the 10 commandments (moral Law of God) reveal our need for forgiveness?

- v23, 'all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God'. Does this include you? the General of The Salvation Army? the Pope? Jesus' mother Mary?...if any have not sinned then surely this verse reasons that they must be equal to God...is there any who can make this claim?

- does verse 23 act as further evidence of the divinity of Jesus Christ?

Friday 2 August 2013

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge week 23

New Testament Bible Reading Challenge

4 March 2013 to 28th February 2014

Week 23: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read the New Testament from beginning to end within one year, reading just 5 chapters per week.

We are now starting Week 23 of the Bible challenge…and we're reading about Paul's missionary travels.

Great Expectations: Expect God to speak through the Scriptures, expect to learn new things about Him, and about ourselves, and expect to read and absorb some familiar stories and passages.

Monday, August 05, 2013 --- Acts 22 --- Paul is given a chance to outline his Jewish credentials- v17-21, Paul thought his past experience and testimony would surely be accepted from those who knew him...but God told him the contrary would be true via a ‘trance’. Do we still receive messages from God in this way, or was this just an early church phenomenon?

Tuesday, August 06, 2013 --- Acts 23 --- Paul cleverly divides the Sanhedrin, and escapes an ambush!- v6, Paul successfully divides the Sanhedrin by using his knowledge of different beliefs. Has he manipulated the truth here, or was his statement entirely accurate?

Wednesday, August 07, 2013 --- Acts 24 --- Paul is on trial before Felix, but not released.- v25, notice it was when Paul came to the subject of the judgement to come that Felix becomes afraid and decides not to hear any more of the Gospel....is this a subject which puts people off the Gospel today?

- Does this mean we should avoid the subject for fear of offending people?

Thursday, August 08, 2013 --- Acts 25 --- Paul is able to witness to Festus and to King Agrippa within his trials.- compare Paul's self-defense to the silence given by Jesus at His trial. What are we to make of the contrast?

Friday, August 09, 2013 --- Acts 26 --- The testimony of Paul.- Paul's testimony is simply his life experience, which he uses to also proclaim the Gospel. What is your life testimony?